Today's post features a recent food demonstration I did at Shady Grove Medical Center to feature healthy recipes for Super Bowl Sunday! The recipes featured included Portobello Sliders with Caramelized Onions, credit to My Darling Vegan's Blog, and Buffalo Hummus, credit to Oh She Glow's Blog. (Click the links for recipes!) Both of these recipes are sooo delicious and get this- they are meat-free and vegan!! While I do not consider myself a vegetarian or vegan, I do recommend eating meat-free sources of protein for at least two to three days per week because they are very lean and rich in fiber, both of which are optimal for heart health!

As you prepare your snacks and appetizers this week for the big game consider some of the following tips so that you can enjoy the game and feel good, too! :) ​

Healthy Eating Super Bowl Tips:

Be mindful:

Choose the foods you would like to eat and place them on your own plate. Do eat from the communal food table itself because it is difficult to track how much you are eating.

Slow down eating: Place fork down between bites, take a sip of water, or eat with non-dominant hand to become more aware of eating.

Control Hunger:

Bring a healthy dish like the ones attached to ensure that you will have some healthy options.

Fill up on fiber- fruits, vegetables, whole grains- will slow down your digestive system to help control appetite cravings. If you want seconds, go back for the vegetables.

Do not skip meals before the Super Bowl. You will likely overcompensate in unhealthy, rich snacks and beverages to make up for the missed meals.

Stay hydrated with water.

Pop in a mint to cleanse your palate and control appetite.

Stay Distracted:

Chat with friends or family during the game. Maybe someone else there is also trying to be mindful about their eating and you could encourage them!

Move during commercial breaks.

Walk around room or up and down the stairs.

Do a set of exercises like sit-ups, push-ups, squats, or lunges.

Stay away from the communal food table during the game/commercials.

Eat this, Not That:

Instead of sour cream, replace with Plain, Non-fat Greek yogurt.

Instead of salt, choose salt-free herbs and spices for flavor.

Instead of ground beef, replace with ground turkey breast or non-meat proteins such as black beans, tofu, or chickpeas.

Instead of soda, replace with seltzer water with a splash of fruit juice like grapefruit, orange, lime, or lemon.

Yesterday I had the wonderful opportunity to do a Salt-Free cooking demonstration for a company called 3M in Silver Spring, Maryland. This was such a fun experience for me to get out of the office, share with others in my love for cooking, and to spread more healthy, alternative recipes within the community! The recipes I taught included the Allergen-Friendly Blueberry Sunflower Butter "Go-Tein" Bites (click link for recipe), Salt-Free, Spicy Baked Sweet Potato Fries, and Tropical Mango Salsa.

What I absolutely love about this tropical mango salsa is that it is very versatile. You you can substitute different kinds of peppers, fruits, or vegetables into the salsa, depending on the taste that you want. Since we are approaching summer, I decided to make the base of this salsa recipe with limes, mangos, and shredded coconut to give it a Caribbean-island flavor.

Ingredients: (Makes 2 servings)

1 cup chopped mango

1/2 Orange Bell Pepper, diced

1 small Jalapeño pepper (diced, seeded)

2 Tbsp red onion

1 Tbsp Lime Juice

1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

1 Tbsp minced parsley

1 tsp coconut flakes

1 tsp black pepper

Directions:1. Chop onion first. Research shows that chopping allium vegetables (garlic, leeks, and onions) releases enzymatic activity in the vegetables that could be protective against various types of cancers! The reason that these vegetables contain such strong senses of smells and taste are because of the enzymes being released when you cut them. So, while it may be frustrating that your onions cause you to tear-up when cutting them, keep in mind that these same enzymes provide many anti-carcinogenic benefits! It takes about 15 minutes for these enzymes to activate, so always chop these allium veggies first and set aside before adding to your recipe.

2. Next, chop the mango into ~ 1/2 inch sized cubes Note, if you are cutting a through a whole mango, you will need to peel the skin from the mango before cutting it.

3. Next, chop the bell pepper into 1/2 inch slices, and mince the jalapeño. To add more of a spicy kick to this recipe, keep the jalapeño seeds to add the salsa as well.

4. Combine all ingredients in a bowl, and add the lime juice, lemon juice, coconut flakes, and ground pepper.

5. Serve with baked chips, put it in a wrap, or use this salsa as a marinade to go over chicken or fish! (See recipe below)

Tropical Salsa Marinade Version!

Note you can also use this salsa as a marinade! Fruit or fruit juice marinades are acidic and research shows that having an acidic marinade like lemon/lime-juices, or cooking wines can significantly reduce the Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs) in our foods, which can decrease risks for cancers, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, fruit-based marinades have lots of flavor so there is no need to additionally add salt to our recipes!

Directions for Marinade:1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees2. Place fish in a glass pan and pour salsa directly over fish fillets.4. Place aluminum foil over fish pan, completely covering the pan, and place pan into the oven for about 45 minutes.5. When fish are done, they should be white and flaky, not translucent or difficult to cut.

Ever find yourself looking for a healthy snack midway through the morning or afternoon, but the vending machine at work has you feeling hopeless with its limited supply of high-sugar granola bars and salty grab-n-go items? Don't settle for that bag of Cheetos! Instead, make these quick, no-bake granola bites that are packed with energy, low in calories, and contain twice the amount of protein found in common granola bars! These will hold you until your next meal, and will leave you feeling happy after eating a healthy snack.

Bonus: These bites are also allergen-friendly because they don't contain gluten, wheat, eggs, dairy, soy, peanuts, or tree nuts. They are great for an after school snack for kids with multiple allergies, and they taste good, too! :)

Directions:1. Place all ingredients into a blender, food processor, or mixer. If using fresh blueberries, make sure to drain them of their liquid, and pat dry with a paper towel prior to placing in blender2. Mix until all ingredients are well blended and form a sticky texture.3. Roll into ping pong ball-sized bites and place in the refrigerator in an air-tight container until ready to eat.

(After initial refrigeration, these bites no longer need to be refrigerated, so you can easily store them in purses, backpacks, or your car until you need that energy boost!)

Spring is here!!! Today it is a bright and shining 70 degrees in the Northern Virginia/Washington D.C suburbs! All I can think about is breaking out my shorts, going outside, reading a good book, and cooling down with a fresh fruit smoothie! Perhaps you're in the same boat! If so, check out the smoothie below!

This PB&J smoothie utilizes a product I love called PB2 (Powdered Peanut Butter) which is basically a low-fat version of peanut butter so you can enjoy the peanut butter taste without the extra calories! Normally peanut butter has 190 calories, and a lot of saturated fat, but PB2 only has 45 calories for the same amount and 0 saturated fat! I really enjoy mixing my PB2 into smoothies, but you can also use it in yogurt dips, on crackers, on toast, or in baking! It can be kind of tricky to find in grocery stores, so I found mine on Amazon.

This smoothie recipe is also packed with protein, fiber, and fresh ingredients, so that you will feel refreshed and energized!

Ingredients:

1 cup frozen strawberries

1/2 cup skim milk

1/4 cup Greek Yogurt

2 Tbsp PB2

1. First pour the strawberries into a Magic Bullet, food processor, or blender. I used my Magic Bullet for this recipe, but it will work with any electrical mixer/blender.

5. Then, add the Greek yogurt. I recommend plain Greek yogurt when cooking because the flavored ones have so many added sugars! If Nonfat Plain Greek Yogurt is too strong of a taste for you, try 2% Plain Greek Yogurt. I've found this is a healthier choice without sacrificing flavor.

6. Blend one more time until the yogurt is evenly mixed throughout the smoothie.

Do you ever crave delicious, warm french fries, but don't want to feel the guilt after eating fast food? Consider making healthy, homemade baked sweet potato fries instead! They are rich in vitamin A, low in saturated fat, and low in calories (In fact, they are 1/2 the calories of a "Little" Five Guys fries serving!) They are also well seasoned to give a spicy flavor with with chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, and ground pepper. Enjoy!

Searching a simple recipe with less than 5 ingredients? Look no further than this vegetable casserole! This is a great, tasty side dish that pairs well with a meat like chicken or steak, or is a delicious dish to bring to a holiday potluck dinner! The best part about this dish is that it does not contain any added salt, sugar, or preservatives. It is all natural and is flavored with several spices!

You will notice "Italian Seasoning"in the ingredients list. You can buy pre-made Italian seasoning mixtures, or you can make your own. While all Italian Seasonings are individualized, most traditionally contain the following spices:Majoram, Basil, Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano, Savory, and Sage. Be sure to check out The Dish to learn about health benefits and cooking tips for all of these spices/herbs.

Ingredients (Makes 4 servings)

4 medium-sized Red Potatoes

15 oz of chopped carrots, onions, and celery

1/2 cups of olive oil

3 tbsp Italian Seasoning

Directions:1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.2. Place all vegetables into a large Zip-loc bag and pour olive oil and sprinkle seasonings into bag. 4. Shake bag until olive oil and seasonings spread evenly throughout vegetables.5. Pour vegetables out of Zip-loc bag and onto a deep dish pan for baking. Cover pan with aluminum foil, and bake dish for about 60 minutes.

Got a bad case of the Mondays? Well, with this easy recipe, you can now be stress-free about dinner tonight! This tasty dish that can be made inless than 30 minutes!This meal is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, which are good for your heart, and high in fiber and protein, which keeps you fuller for longer.

Ingredients: Makes 6 (1 cup) servings

1 cup of pre-washed red quinoa

2 cups of water

1/3 cup of olive oil

2 avocados, chopped into small cubes

1/2 onion, chopped into 1/2 inch slices

1 bell pepper, chopped into 1/2 inch slices

1.5 cucumbers, chopped into cubes

2 jalapeño peppers, sliced

3 oz feta cheese

8 cherry heirloom tomatoes, halved

2 garlic Cloves, minced

Ground Pepper for taste

Hot sauce for taste

Directions:1. Pour 2 cups of water and 1 cup of quinoa into a sauté pan and set it on HIGH until it boils. Once the quinoa starts to boil, cover the pan, and turn down the heat toLOW/MEDIUMfor about 20 minutes until the quinoa is finished. Quinoa should look fluffy and have absorbed all of the water when it is done. See pictures below:

﻿Before:﻿

After:

2. When quinoa is finished cooking, pour into a large bowl. Then add the jalapeño peppers, bell peppers, tomatoes, garlic, cheese, onion, avocado, and olive oil. 3. Gently mix until the ingredients are evenly dispersed, and then add ground pepper and hot sauce on top for taste.4. Enjoy it by itself, or add it to a wrap with hummus for dinner

About Me

I am a Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Educator, and a self-proclaimed foodie currently living in Washington D.C. I genuinely want to help people enjoy healthy eating. I hope that through my blog you will learn a bit more about nutrition, share with me in my love-hate relationship for exercise, eat well, and feel good :)﻿